The "I Got Me Some Walkin' Shoes for the Zoo Walk, and I'm Ready!"

iPod shuffled to "Fall in Love, Lady Love", The Dramatics. This was on the first album. The album I played over.  And over. And over. I'm sure I wore the grooves out. I took that poor album everywhere. Bless my parents hearts, they never complained. Lol. Sadly even now I'll play the Dramatics over. And over. And over. My family rolls their eyes and go to other rooms. Lol. 

I was going to continue the saga of me and fistula, but I'm going to detour today. When I came home from the hospital, I had more questions than answers about End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD).  I was commenting to Brian that when I was diagnosed with Acute Intermittent Porphyria, it seemed I had information about that than ESRD now. Amel Larrieux, "Get Up".  She was a member of Groove Theory.  We have access to more information now 30+ years later, because of the Internet. But I'm pretty sure the expectation is not for us to do our own research. Everyone doesn't have the resources. That being said, that is a topic for another day.  

So I get home and wear out Safari looking up information on ESRD. There are lots of credible sites with information...National Kidney Foundation, American Kidney Foundation, a myriad of hospitals and clinics and medical foundations. There are also sites for patients.  One of the first sites that popped up was IHateDialysis. Lol. Oh my. This a message board of dialysis users sharing experiences and really helping each out out. A giant virtual support group. I wasn't ready to join, but I'd browse topics. I did eventually join a Facebook support group. 

It's pretty sobering reading about the experiences of other people in dialysis. I understand I am in the bubble of my center. I did have the experience in Las Vegas for a different perspective, and I have a few more trips planned this summer.  The people I know on dialysis are the people I see at my center (and my Wendell and Mable).  Granted, I don't know much about the other patients, except this person was taken off of dialysis because their kidneys recovered, or that person died over the weekend. I also really wasn't aware of other reasons why kidneys fail. For me, I reject high blood pressure as it was controlled.  The nephrologist is leaning towards the Porphyria. Whatever.  

People are born with kidney issues. Other medical problems can cause medical trauma, such as Diabetes or Lupus.  Surgeries gone wrong.  Physical injuries. "Butterflies", Michael Jackson. Such a pretty song. (Volume cranked up, body rocking and smiling....and sing softly (badly) so I don't disturb anyone- lol). The ages of dialysis patients are all over the map. Young children ( represented by their parents), high school students, young adults, young parents, my peers, and seniors. Lol. I couldn't hit the senior category   There are folks 70+.  There are people who are waiting to get on dialysis, people just starting on dialysis, and those who have been dialyzing for over 20 years......

Stopping here. It's getting long. I have to say. It's been eye opening, and frankly sobering. Signing off with Ramsey Lewis, "Love Song" from the Sun Goddess album. This races me back to University of Michigan. Lol. If you heard that coming out of a dorm room, just keep on walking, don't knock. Lol. I played it for Brian, he wasn't familiar with the song. When I told him it was from the Sun Goddess album, he chuckled and said he never got past Sun Goddess. Lol.